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British Commonwealth
ms:Komanwel British Although the United Kingdom, the home country of the British Commonwealth, covers but a small fraction of Europe, the economic and political clout which the British Empire wields in the game of thrones is almost without rival, despite the horrendous losses at the hands of the Central Powers during the Great War, and its own internal problems in actuality. From its home isles, this small but not insignificant nation dominates a massive number of colonies worldwide which feed the mother country, but even so there are problems: only Canada is directly connected with the Britain, Germany is rising again despite the Versailles Treaty, and Britain is significantly cut off from the rest of its empire in Africa, India and the Pacific. A single, well-placed blow can smash apart in a week everything Britain strove to build for over three centuries. Can the British Empire obtain another thousand years of glory, or will this be the last hurrah for England? Gameplay The British are also aided everywhere by their extensive industries, which allow them to generate resources with each bit in their stockpile, lending the ability to bulk up one's economic power faster. Economic power allows things that military power cannot: more resources and therefore more time to spend on building and upgrades. This is further reinforced by two other areas: cheaper ship upgrades and free spawning destroyers. With this immense economic power and the ability to amass a large fleet in no time, the British do well on water maps, but their extensive military assets also means that they are not to be taken lightly if attacked on land. Historically, British armour was often the weakest link in Allied Operations in Europe towards the end of the Second World War, but nevertheless British armour often served with distinction against heavier Nazi foes. Thus while British vehicles are no better than the French-manufactured ones used by most nations, Britain can however count on its units' superior abilities to get by in a conflict. Its tanks and infantry are nothing special tactics-wise. In a toe-to-toe combat British troops with inferior weaponry and tin-thin armour will be evenly slaughtered by German troops at all pre-atomic eras, but British unique units' ability to heal in the field, and its units also have extensive LOS, and its elite infantry formations are capable of counterintelligence, giving the British some degree of immunity against infiltration. Thus the British Army on land will have to rely greatly on the secondary abilities of its units - all British units have better LOS, and armoured vehicles will also regenerate HP over an extended time in the open - to best others such as the Soviets and the Germans. A combined arms strategy is thus crucial to keeping the British Empire lasting for another thousand years when faced against the Soviet's penchant for enhanced quality, the American tendency to flood the theatre with fast-producing units and the German propensity for extreme force. Ergo, the British are suited to two things: early-game striking and booming. Raid your opponents' economy to weaken them and deny them resources for waging war, and try and tech up as quickly as possible while denying the same to your opponents. The far more vastly inferior early game armies of Russia and Germany can be exploited by enveloping them in battles of attrition, which can later exploited by your army, with some added skill and tactics. Alternatively, your civ can be improved further by the usage of your resources to purchase wonders, thus improviing presitge for your nation. In other areas, Britain must also be noted for having superior naval units as well as more powerful aircraft until the Atomic Era. As such, during a CtW campaign the British home isles might need to rely on the power and superiority of their naval units to stave off the unthinkable. CtW objectives *Until the Atomic Era, maintain control over your home territories in Northern Europe *Until the Atomic Era, maintain control over India, Canada and Australia *Until the Atomic Era, maintain control over the following Crown Colony territories: Bermuda; Gibraltar; Malta; Singapore; Hong Kong; Nicosia; Alexandria; Falklands, Mombasa and Cape Town. Notes The Commonwealth has extensive holdings throughout the world. As such, it has three capitals: one based in England; and another in Ontario, and another in Victoria, all representing the various Dominions of the Empire. Any enemy that plans to take on that Empire will have to destroy all 3 capitals in order to completely force it into submission. It is not likely that Britain can survive without fighting a major war or without eliminating one or more Axis opponents. Clearly, Japan will continue fighting long and hard, and either Germany or Italy will be destroyed: both must either capture key British outposts or conquer England in order to fulfill their strategic victories. Although your empire seems extremely vast and extensive, in reality it is rather fragile. So far, the only connections between your empire consists mainly of the Quebec-Bermuda-Gibraltar-Malta-Cyprus-Egypt route, so you need to be very careful that this thin suppy line is not broken. By the Atomic era, if you have not won the game yet, you will be asked to let Africa and India go - if you choose to let your colonies which have a power of 3 or less to form the NAM, this could mean easier relations with other nations. However, failure to do so will certainly prolong any conflict you are in, and other factions - especially the USA and the USSR - may as well castigate you for your behaviour. Leaders: *Winston Churchill *George V *George VI *Louis Mountbatten *Bernard Montgomery *Herbert Plumer *William Slim *David Lloyd George NOTE: During the Domination Campaign, the British leaders are Ramsay MacDonald, Stanley Baldwin, Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill. Should Britain lose all territories in Europe, the leader of the Commonwealth permenantly changes to George VI, until Britain is destroyed or occupied. The Fascist leader is Neville Chamberlain, while the Communist leader is Rajani Palme Dutt. British forces in America, Asia and Africa have different leaders if the capital, London, is lost: *Thomas Blamey for Australia. Australia gets a unique unit, the Matilda Tank, which replaces all medium tanks for Britain. The Australians only get the American line of fighters and fighter-bombers. Australia does not have access to the PIAT. Australia can be found fighting on all Middle Eastern and Asian fronts until London is retaken. *Jan Smuts for South Africa, and represents British forces in all 3 African zones. Armoured cars and tanks are replaced with imported ones (with Capitalism). South Africa has no access to the PIAT, and cannot build submarines. *Harry Crerar for Canada. Canada is responsible for British assets in the New World and gets the Ram-Sherman line of medium tanks, and uses American airplanes, and also receives the Bazooka instead of the PIAT, and cannot build submarines. Territories covered Northern Europe: *London *Manchester *Glasgow *Cardiff *Belfast Pacific: *Queensland *Victoria *Western Australia *Auckland *Christchurch *Australian Desert *North Borneo *Port Moresby Asia and China: *Penang *Singapore *Hong Kong *India Africa: *Lagos *Mombasa *Cape Town *Western Desert *Alexandria *Freetown *North Rhodesia *South Rhodesia *Bechuanaland *Upper Egypt *Sudan North America *Montreal *Winnipeg *Toronto *Yukon *Nunavut Central America *Belize *Bermuda *Kingston Latin America *Falklands Mediterranean and Middle East *Gibraltar *Nicosia *Kuwait *Malta *Transjordania *Aden *Hejaz *Najd *Palestine (Empty Quarter and San'aa are rendered as barbarians) Unique units Infantry *Mounted infantry: Australian Light Horse - can regen, enhanced LOS *Assault: Sten 5-6 (doubled assault gun range, not as good as some other infantry but he has good LOS) *Anti-armour: PIAT infantry 4-6 *Commando: Royal Marine Infantry - scout/commando that regens *Machine gun: Vickers 1^ => ? *Levy: Auxiliary units - weakly armed infantry with very good LOS. Armour *Light tanks: Whippet 1 => Carden-Loyd# 2 => VA Light Tank 3 => A15 Crusader 4 => Cromwell 5 => Comet 6 - Tetrarch and Comet can regen, good LOS *Tankettes: Carden Loyd 2 (consumed by VA Light Tank) Tetrarch 4 *Medium tanks: A10 Cruiser 3 => Valentine 4 => Churchill 5 *Heavy tanks: Mk VIII Liberty^ 1-6 (consumed by Valentine) Artillery SPGS: *Valentine Mk I Archer (requires Valentine to be unlocked to be used) => Cromwell Challenger (req. Comet to be available) 6 *Sherman Firefly 6 (requires Capitalism) *Sexton II 5 Cannon: *QF 18 pdr => QF 25 pdr 4-6 *QF 6 pdr 5-6 *Land Mattress ML 6 SPAD: *(Generic SPAD)1# => VA Mk IV SPAD (based off VA Light Tank) 3 => Crusader SPAD 5 Other vehicles *Rolls-Royce 1=2 => Lanchester 3 => Daimler AC Mk.I 4 => Humber Mk IV 5 Special units *Armed caravan^ *Armed merchant^ *Armed supply truck/Halftrack^: Universal carrier (functions like a tankette 3 *Flamethrower infantry^ *Flamer => Crocodile flamer? *Bison mobile pillbox Aircraft *Fighter & jet aircraft: Gloster# 2 => Hurricane H 4 => S Spitfire 5-6 *Bomber aircraft: Heyford biplane 3 => Wellington 4 => Avro Lancaster 5-6 *Attack aircraft: Airco DH.10 => Bristol Blenheim 3# => Beaufighter later merged with Spitfire Naval units *Aircraft carrier: Ark Royal - in addition to having good LOS and a variety of good torpedo bombers, Ark Royal has an enhanced regeneration capability and a slight speed bonus. *Cruiser: Town-class cruiser - average power and durability, compared to the Aviso-type ships of France and Portugal, but can easily shoot them from afar. *Capital ship: Nelson-class battleship - average power and durability, but with good LOS, and can easily shoot from afar. Several Nelsons can take on a Bismarck, but might have problems with the bigger Yamato. You must have some ancillary research completed to unlock this ship. National bonuses Empire: *Start with 1 Commerce Tech Already researched *Commerce research 25% cheaper *Start with a Market and 2 free Merchants *For every 100 of a resource in your treasury beyond starting level, receive +5 income for that resource (except Knowledge). This income can exceed Commerce Cap by 50. Unit bonuses *All unique units have regen abilities and added LOS, making them capable of spotting enemy units before being spotted - very useful especially since tanks have very low LOS. *Artillery and SPGs deal 50% added damage to tanks and tankettes. *Receive two Light Ships whenever a New Dock is built. *Ship Upgrades 10% Cheaper Trivia *As homage to "Hitler's Britain", Auxiliary Units will be added as a militia unit. Heyford will be added as a settlement. *If Britain has no territories left in Europe, Canadian, Australia and New Zealand form up in their respective areas: **Canada: uses mostly US equipment but still has British infantry, has access to the Churchill, Ram and Ram Badger **Australia: uses mostly US equipment but still has British infantry, regresses to using the Matilda tank and MKIV **New Zealand: uses British fighters only, and regresses to using the Matilda and MKIV **South Africa: retains a mix of American and British tanks, but is armed with German planes. Category:Major powers